ALA’s Office of Support and Aid to Latvia (SAL), was created in 1989 to provide humanitarian aid and other forms of support to Latvia.
However, since 1994, the first priority has become the support for the children of Latvia – those in large, poor families, abandoned children and orphans. This new priority has emerged because the ethnic Latvian people in Latvia are literally on the road to extinction – for a number of years now more Latvians are dying each year than being born. And this follows two foreign occupations where thousands of Latvians died in war, were killed outright or deported to a slow death in Siberia. To ensure the survival of the small Latvian nation, this trend must be stopped and reversed. At this critical time every living Latvian child is needed for the survival of the Latvian nation. It is therefore mandatory to provide them with minimum funds for survival and a decent education. To this end our organization has been soliciting donations to provide regular support payments, lasting approx. two years to the children in the greatest need.
Our program is called the “Secure Bridge” (in Latvian: “Drošais Tilts”) to provide a secure channel or “bridge” from a donor in the U.S. to a needy child or family in Latvia. The local efforts in Latvia are coordinated by Latvia’s largest charity organization “The Children’s Fund of Latvia” (“Latvijas Bērnu Fonds”).
This urgent effort would also appreciate YOUR HELP – a donation of any amount is greatly appreciated. You may also make a bequest in your will. For further information please contact the American Latvian Association or the director of “SAL”.
This year we started working with the “Angel Heart Society”. Our goals are the same – concern for the survival of the Latvian nation.
The mission of the Angel’s Heart Society is to promote the education of the youth, to nurture and develop children’s talents from an early age and to motivate them to change their perception of life, for poor families, especially in remote regions of Latvia.
Angel Heart society projects
- Educational tours in Latvia – learning Latvian history, geography, culture.
- Educational hikes to improve the physical condition of children and young people. To create a desire to explore Latvia. Meet craftsmen, get to know Latvias nature diversity.
- Motivational speech cycles in Latvian rural schools, attracting well-respected and successful entrepreneurs, athletes, artists and representatives of manufacturing industries.
- Scholarship for young school students.
- Organize camps where children get familiarized with options for a future profession.
- Individual support for Latvian children. Evaluating children’s talent: Attracting professional educators/professionals, paying for courses / tuition, paying camps, paying private tutors, providing future learning opportunities and talent development.
- Provide children with the learning supplies they need: books, computers, etc.
Together we want to help Latvia’s underprivileged get out of their current situation by supporting them both financially and with additional education.
This urgent work also awaits YOUR participation. Please consider donating to an ALA/SAL program.
Together, the “Secure Bridge” program and the ”Angel Heart” Society will continue to help the Latvian people to prosper!
More information on “Angel Heart” Society.
Donate to Support and Aid to Latvia program
Diāna Kārkliņa – Director, Office of Support and Aid to Latvia